FairPlay’s founder Francois Baird said in a statement that the poultry farmers face many challenges including rising diesel price costs with urgent plan of action needed..
Lobby group FairPlay has warned that soaring diesel and electricity prices are placing South Africa’s poultry industry under mounting pressure, threatening food security, jobs and the long-term sustainability of one of the country’s most important agricultural sectors.
FairPlay founder Francois Baird said urgent government intervention is needed to shield farmers and consumers from escalating costs linked to rising fuel prices and worsening infrastructure failures.
“The agricultural sector has repeatedly grown and created jobs when other sectors have struggled. Farmers are tough. They have faced and overcome Covid challenges, tariff wars, collapsing infrastructure such as electricity, water and roads, and disease, from avian influenza (bird flu) in poultry to foot and mouth disease in cattle.”
However, he warned that rapidly rising energy costs now posed a fresh and potentially devastating threat to the agricultural sector.
